A Girl and her Wolf
by DragonFlyer9
Summary: Link returns to his hometown, only to find himself being drawn into the chaos of Twilight once more.
1. Engagement

**Chapter 1 **

**This is my first Zelda fanfic. It's set in the time after the events of Twilight Princess (In my opinion, the best Zelda game)**

**LinkXIlia included in this story. Dont get me wrong, I like Zelda and Link as a couple, but in TP, it doesnt really work.**

**Blood and mature themes included in future chapters.**

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A sharp breath left Ilia's mouth when she caught sight of his familiar form entering through the gates of Ordon. _Could it be?_ She wondered. _Had he really returned? _She ran over as fast as she could. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, feeling her fingers run through his dirty blonde locks. A smile spread across her face when she felt his hands make contact with her waist as he held her close. She would feel the stares of everyone else in the village, watching the two of them reunite. The mayor stood behind them, the sight intriguing him. He stepped forward, intercepting them with an abrupt cough.

"Link" he spoke up once he had gotten their attention. The young boy in green looked to him.

"Come, I wish to speak with you." He turned around, walking slowly out of the village. The rest of the Ordonians stared at him in expectation. Giving Ilia a short but reassuring look, he followed her father.

When he reached the forest that lay outside the village, he found Bo waiting for him. He bashfully made his way over to his side.

"Link" the mayor began. "You know I've always been protective of my daughter, and that's why I wanted to talk to you" Link swallowed nervously, awaiting a lecture or something from him about keeping away from Ilia. He was surprised by what he received.

"You've really proven yourself lad" he said proudly. "You set out to find the children when they were taken, and against all the odds, brought them home safely." Link stared at him in bewilderment.

"But not just that," he continued. "After everything else that happened on your journey, you chose to return to Ordon. I'm proud of you Link" He leant in closer. "And I'm not the only one." Link knew he was referring to Ilia, and it made his cheeks tinge red.

"I want what's best for my daughter" Bo went on, staring ahead of him as if he were becoming lost in his thoughts. "It's clear to me now, that that is you Link." The two of them stared at each other. Link was lost for words.

"You take care of her, that clear?" he asked. Link nodded, making the major smile.

"That's my boy. Now go on, I'm sure everyone wants to hear all about your adventure." With an exchanged glance, the two of them headed off back to the main area Ordon.

* * *

After he had returned, he had told his story to the rest of the village, leaving substantial parts out, such as him turning into a wolf. He figured it would be the best; his modified story was hard enough to believe; and he didn't want anyone to freak out at the fact that he was partially a wild beast. He also didn't tell them about the Twilight Realm, or Midna for that matter. They wouldn't believe him, and even if they did, they'd have too many questions that he couldn't answer. But they all seemed fascinated by his story nonetheless. Hard to believe that a few weeks ago, he hadn't even been outside of Ordon, and now he was Hyrule's hero.

He had indicated for Ilia to follow her. He wanted to tell her the good news about what her father had decided. Taking Epona with them, he guided her to the spring. Ilia leapt at Link, the joy overwhelming her as he repeated what her father had said to him. Link tried to stable himself, but was thrown off balance and fell backwards into the water, Ilia landing on top of him. She kissed his cheek, making them both go red.

"You know what this means don't you?" she questioned. Link tipped his head.

"If we're going to be married, and I'm the mayor's daughter, that means you're going now arranged to become the next mayor." Link looked surprised. He hadn't thought about that. He had been too engrossed in everything else that had been happening, that the thought hadn't even crossed his mind.

Something black in the water caught his eye. It was the shadow crystal. It must have slipped out of one of his bags attached to his belt when he fell. It floated in the water beside them. Link gasped as he saw it, hoping Ilia wouldn't have. No such luck.

"What's that?" she asked. He didn't answer. He didn't know how to. Everything that he had left out of his story was connected to that crystal. Instead of answering her question, he stood up and carefully, made a wave in the water that pushed the shard back into his bag. He sighed in relief once it was back in. Without a word, he quickly ran over to Epona, jumped on her back and rode off. Ilia stared at him in confusion. She called out for him to come back, but he either didn't hear, or chose to ignore her.

Link rode fast, needing to get away. _That could have been really bad if it had touched me_ He thought. _Ilia would have freaked._ He had to get rid of it somehow, but where? He remembered back to when Midna left for her world. He wondered why she hadn't taken it with her. Too late now though. He was stuck with it, and until he found a way to rid himself of it, he would be putting everyone he loved in danger, including Ilia.

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**First chapter done. Hopefully it turned out ok. I haven't decided whether to give Link proper dialogue or not. **


	2. Going, Going, Gone

**Chapter 2 in the story. I should probably mention, Link doesnt actually change into a wolf for a while.**

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"Leave?" Ilia yelled. "You can't leave!"

Link winced as he heard the pain in her voice. Hurting her was the last thing he wanted to do; that's why he had to leave, to make sure she didn't get hurt. Collin was beside her.

"You only just got back" he murmured. Rusl stood next to his son.

"This is Link's decision" he said, defending him. He looked up at him. "But I must ask, why are you thinking of leaving?" Link wasn't sure how to answer. He gazed at Ilia, who had turned away. It hurt him to see her like this.

Rusl sighed when he didn't respond. "Well, like I said, it's your decision."

He walked off, taking Collin with him. Ilia left too, pushing Link's hand away when he offered it to her. His mind was tangled. He thought he was doing the right thing by leaving, but now he wasn't sure. The idea of talking to the mayor about it crossed his mind, but when his words _'You take care of her, that clear?'_ started to ring in his head, he shook the thought away. _I'm doing this for you _He wanted to tell Ilia. But that would only ask for trouble. He couldn't tell her why he was leaving, or where he was going, or even for how long. She's his fiancé, or at least, was his fiancé. How would they cope being apart?

Link looked at the triforce mark on his hand and sighed. He used to think it was just a strangely shaped birthmark, but it was much more than that. Sometimes he wanted nothing more than to live a simple life. To get married to Ilia, maybe start a family. But that wasn't his destiny apparently.

The sky began to darken as twilight spread over Hyrule. Ever since Midna left the world of light, he had felt a strange emptiness inside of him. Despite having used him at first, the two of them had grown close and shared a bond. Link always knew she'd be hard to forget, but in truth, he didn't want to. One more reason he couldn't tell the village about her. Even though he didn't think of her that way, who knows how Ilia would have taken it. He couldn't bear to put her through more pain.

He decided he would leave when the moon was at its highest. That way, he could go without causing uproar through the whole of Ordon. Besides, it would be too painful to say goodbye to them. They were like family to him. He had been very young when his parents passed away, and from an early age, the people of Ordon had accepted him.

He prepared Epona for his journey. He had actually thought of leaving her for Ilia, as a way of proving that he cared for her. But then again, he wasn't entirely sure how she'd take it, and might have thought that he didn't care about her or his horse. He scrapped the idea and left a note for her instead. It was short, but sweet, and said in writing what he could never say in person.

_Ilia._

_We've been friends for so long, and it pains me more than you know, knowing that I have to now say goodbye to you. I can't explain how much you mean to me, and how much more I will miss you. Our paths have been entwined for a reason. _

_But now I must leave. Why, I cannot say. But know this; for I speak truly. I will never forget you, and one day, we will be together once more. I promise. _

_Link._

Link knew that she would come to his house the following morning. She did so almost every day, mainly to check on Epona. He used his lantern to shed light on what he was doing. Pinning the note to his front door with an arrow, he unsheathed his sword. Into the tree closest to the village pathway, he carved Ilia's name. He climbed onto Epona's back. He dipped his head in farewell to Ordon as he left the village, his lantern's light still showing him the way.

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**I am aware these chapters are short, but they will get longer. **


	3. Trails

**This chapter has much more action in it than the last.**

**I've decided I will give Link dialogue, but only when needed. Even then, it wont be much. I just think it's kind of weird having him talk in a story when he doesnt actually talk in the games. **

* * *

Link pulled on Epona's reins, bringing her to a stop. He had left two nights ago, and had been travelling nonstop since. He was worn-out. He had lost track of his current location about four hours ago. He gazed around at his surroundings. Nothing but a moor stretching on for what looked to be forever. Black dots scattered the ground and sky further up ahead. _Enemies._ His sight was starting to become blurred. Link's head fell, mainly from exhaustion. His eyelids felt heavy, and he struggled to hold back a yawn.

His eye was drawn to a brook a few paces away. Stroking Epona's neck, he felt her rapid breathing. He jumped over her back, stumbling slightly from his fatigue. He steered her over to the water. She bent down, lapping up at the fluid. She shook her head in satisfaction, sending water flying everywhere. Link drowsily turned his head in a pitiful attempt to avoid the droplets. They spattered up against his tunic, dappling it lightly. He didn't care too much about it though; a few minutes in the sun would dry it off for sure. Once she had had enough, Link knelt down to the water's side. Cupping his hands, he lifted the water to his lips. It was cold and refreshing. It gave him a burst of energy, just enough to keep him going.

As he looked back at Epona, he noticed a shadow peering from behind the hill he had just come over. He narrowed his eyes, trying to make it out. Whatever it was didn't give him the chance, and vanished. He blinked his eyes several times, his mind trying to work out whether he had imagined that or not. The lack of sleep was really starting to mess with his head. He figured it was just his mind playing tricks on him. Either that or some enemy trying to sneak up on him. It wouldn't have been the first time something like that happened. Ignoring whatever it was, he clambered back onto Epona's back, continuing on his journey.

The whole time he was riding, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching him. He did his best to overlook it, but the thought of someone observing his movements was really starting to bother him.

He was starting to draw close to where he had spotted the band of enemies earlier. He drew his sword from its scabbard, readying himself. A swarm of Kargarok filled the air above him. However, they didn't seem to take notice of him, yet. Bulblins rushed towards him, their clubs and fire arrows raised high, all aimed at him. Holding the master sword firmly in his grip, he charged atop Epona toward a cluster of them. His teeth clenched together, he swung openly at them, killing the first few off rather easily. More and more of them came, seeming to surround him. They kept coming, as if out of nowhere. He did his best to fend them off. Despite them being stronger than the ones he was used to, he managed to rid himself of them all.

"Link, look out!" A voice shouted from behind him. He twisted his head around, his eyes widening as he saw Ilia standing a few paces away. Before he could ask what she was doing there, a Kargarok swooped down, knocking him from Epona to the ground. The startled horse reared up in a combination of defence and shock. Ilia ran to Link's side, falling to her knees, making sure that he was ok. He seemed fine, though still very surprised to see her. He didn't have time to question her presence, though he didn't have to.

"I followed you" she told him. "I had to."

More Bulblins and enemies formed around them. _There are too many of them_ Link thought. He stared at Ilia, who looked frightened. _I can't protect her from them all._

An idea suddenly struck him. Link pulled out the hero's bow and his quiver of arrows. He handed them to Ilia. She looked down at the weapon he gave her, looking at him with questioning eyes. He closed her hand around the middle of the bow. He looked into her eyes.

"Run."

Her eyes flickered from the bow to Link. He didn't give her a chance to protect. Struggling to his feet, he lifted her up and placed her on Epona. Her fear for him was being reflected clearly in her green eyes. He yelled at Epona, making her neigh and race off. Watching them for but a moment, he drew his sword once more and stared at the line of enemies around him. He had to do what he could to protect Ilia.

They came at him fast. Their numbers were plentiful, but they remained easy to kill. He did well to survive the first few rows of them. But his skill with the sword didn't change the fact that his mind was tired and his body was aching. They started to swarm all over him, their quantity increasing further more.

An arrow fired through the air, striking one of the monsters that were one him, in the eye. It screeched loudly, its dead body falling off him. Link looked to Ilia, who held the recently fired bow, still aimed at the monsters. She fired another, drawing their attention to where it shot nearby. Her distraction gave him enough time to get to his feet. He smiled at her, but it vanished as a fire arrow shot into him, piercing his shoulder blade. A burning sensation ripped through his shoulder. His legs started to crumble beneath him as they lost their strength. When his body collided with the ground, a sharp and sudden pain entered his chest. His hands thrashed helplessly at his torso, feeling the familiar cold surface of the shadow shard penetrating his chest.

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**Yeah! My first cliffhanger. Tell me what you think.**


	4. Truth Untold

**Sorry it's taken a while to upload. I've been crazy busy with work these past few weeks; I've had no time for anything else. **

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"No!" Ilia screamed as she watched Link's body fall limp to the ground. He landed harshly on his side, his head making contact with a rock. Feeling the anguish well up inside of her, she pulled an arrow from her quiver, drew back the bow's twine and fired blindly towards the enemy. With a shriek of pain, the monster was shaken off the boar it rode. As it touched the ground, it turned to sharp splinters of darkness that rose into the sky before disappearing. Ilia dropped the bow, kneeling down next to injured Link. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes as she struggled to hold them back. Blood surrounded the wound on his chest, soaking through his clothing, turning it to red. The strange black stone that he had been carrying with him, the one he refused to explain its purpose to her, now pierced the middle of his torso. Link stared up at Ilia, fear flooding his blue eyes. His body suffered yet another tremor of agony. She reached out her hand to remove the stone, but Link pulled away, wincing in pain.

"Don't touch it" he managed to choke out the words. Ilia's eyes widened as she watched his body slowly transform.

Fur began to grow all over his body, his clothes absorbing into his skin. His hands expanded and claws tore through what were once his fingertips. His face stretched out into a muzzle, razor sharp fangs replacing his ordinary teeth. The stone that had lanced his chest started to sink into his body, vanishing. Ilia stared down at him.

Lying in drenched in a pool of blood, was a wolf. It looked up at her, its eyes weak and barely open. Ilia recognized them at once.

"Link?" she whispered. A small whine came from the wolf, blinking slowly in response. Unable to hold back her tears any longer, she hugged him.

"I'm sorry" she murmured. "This is all my fault." Link whined again, trying to tell her that it wasn't. She used her palm to wipe away her tears.

"I don't understand" she cried, her voice quiet. Link struggled to lift his head, pressing his nose to her arm. Ilia stroked his head, accepting his comfort. She touched her hand to the wound on his shoulder. Blood was gushing out of it. She looked down at him as he grew weaker.

"I'll find help" she promised.

She thought about how she'd be able to keep that promise. He was a wolf. Where in Hyrule would she find someone who would voluntarily help a wolf? She had no money to spare, or anyway of transporting him somewhere else. _Telma!_ She thought suddenly. She would help her for sure, so long as she told her that her wolf companion was no threat. She just needed a way to get him there.

She turned back to Link, only to find him gone. She looked around, desperately trying to find him. She spotted him limping over to where Epona stood. The horse bent down her neck, nuzzling Link with her head. He rubbed his head against her in return. He started to growl towards her. At first Ilia thought he was going to attack her, but he didn't move. Epona neighed and snorted in response.

"You can talk to her?" she questioned, walking to his side. Link stared up at her. He used his tail to indicate for her to get on Epona. Confused, she did as he gestured.

"You can't walk" she exclaimed as he took a step forward, only to have his front paws collapse. She jumped off the horse and to his side once again. He growled at her, as if telling her to get back on. Ilia looked stubbornly towards him.

"You can't walk" she repeated sternly. "And I'm not leaving you."

She looked around for some way to transport him to Castle Town. She noticed a tree not far off.

"Wait here" she told him. Link exhaled sharply; like he could go anywhere in his condition.

Ilia ran over to the tree. She started to climb it, almost losing her footing about halfway up. She finally reached the branch she had her eyes on. It was thin enough for her to be able to snap off the tree, but she was certain it would be strong enough to support Link's weight on it. Using all the strength in her arms, she broke the branch away from the tree, allowing it to plummet to the ground. Instead of following it, she climbed up higher into the tree. Taking out her dagger, she started cutting at one of the few vines that were entangled within the treetop. She eventually broke through. As soon as it was free, it fell out of the tree. She followed it down more carefully.

She dragged them back over to Link, placing them down beside him. She unbuckled Epona's saddle, flipping it over and connecting it to the branch.

"Lie on this" she told him. She watched as he weakly stumbled onto her improvisation. Picking up one end of the vine, she tied it to one of her arrows. She climbed onto Epona, who was now bareback. She aimed her bow very carefully, shooting the arrow and vine at the branch Link was on. The other end was tightly in her grip. After making sure that it was latched on securely, she started their slow journey back to Castle Town.

* * *

Link had fallen asleep soon after Ilia started dragging him away. His body was very weak from the blood loss, and he wasn't sure how much longer he could hold out. He wasn't sure how Ilia would cope either. She had only ever been to Castle Town once, and it was by accident. She had no rupees, the only weapon she had was a bow. Not to mention, she was travelling with an injured wolf. Link was sure the odds were against them. Even so, Ilia wouldn't give up.

He had never seen her this determined before. It wasn't the first time she had been with someone who had been dying. He thought back to when she had saved Prince Ralis. She had been so brave through all of that, and like Telma had said, there seemed to be more courage in her than all the soldiers in Hyrule. Link didn't doubt that; she was proving it to him right now. Despite having turned into a wolf, she still showed the same respect and love towards him that she did when he was human. He was lucky to have her.

His eyes opened as he stirred awake. He looked at his surroundings. Rain fell from the sky, stinging his wounds. The mist made it hard to see, but the pungent scent of Castle Town was strong. They were nearby, he could tell. His eyes narrowed as he made out the familiar shape of the Hyrule Castle silhouette in the distance. Ilia steered Epona towards a bridge. She couldn't see the castle's shadow, and was going the wrong way. He snarled, getting her attention. She looked over at him. Link wagged his tail in the direction of Hyrule. Ilia realized, and turned Epona around.

"Thanks Link" she said, continuing on. Link stared ahead as they neared. He felt his vision starting to blur as weakness and darkness engulfed his body once more.

* * *

**For the record, thinking of a practical way for Ilia to carry Wolf Link's body was very hard. So please don't give me a hard time about it.**


	5. Old Friends

Ilia pulled on Epona's reins, easing her to a stop outside of Castle Town. They had made it. She looked over her shoulder at Link, whose faint rising and falling of his chest assured her that he was still alive. Throughout the journey, she had constantly checked up on him to make sure he was surviving. It was a hard ride, but they had made it eventually. Ilia lowered herself from Epona, landing beside Link. He looked like he was sleeping. She placed the bow down beside his unconscious body, and started dragging the branch into the entrance of town. His body was heavy, and before she had made it more than a few meters, she found herself having to stop. She sighed, looking down at him.

"I don't think I can do this" she murmured. A soft whimper came from Link as he slept. Ilia sat down beside him, hugging her legs.

"I'm sorry Link" she whispered, feeling overwhelmed by grief. She had let him down, and now he was dying. She wasn't strong enough to save him.

She looked up as a Goron walked out of Castle town and over to her. She recognized them from the time she spent in Kakariko Village. He looked at Link.

"This creature bothering you?" he asked. Ilia shook her head vigorously. She stood up, holding her hands to her chest in a begging manner.

"He's my friend. Please, can you help me?" She looked at him with pleading eyes. The Goron nodded, picking up Link's body. He didn't wake.

"I need to get him to Telma's Bar" Ilia explained. She walked beside him as he carried him into the town, the bow in her hand.

Many people in town stared at them as they walked by. Ilia did her best to ignore them, as well as the comments they were whispering. A few guards gave them questioning looks but didn't stop them when they walked passed. She was grateful that the Goron had offered to help her; even the soldiers of Hyrule wouldn't dare cross a Goron. The people's interrogating stares faded into the distance as she grew closer to Telma's Bar.

The Goron placed Link down once they were outside. Ilia dipped her head in deep consideration to him.

"Thank you so much" She held her arm awkwardly. "Um, I don't have anything to pay you with…"

He shook his head. "No need. Happy to help you, little human." With those as his final words, he ascended the stairs and returned to the main area of town.

Ilia hurried over to the door, knocking on it briskly. She could hear noises coming from within. After a few moments, Telma opened the door.

"Ilia? Is that really you?" she greeted her warmly. As much as Ilia would have loved to catch up with her properly, she was forced to skip over it.

"I need your help."

Telma looked at her with concern. "What is it hun?" she asked. Ilia stepped aside, allowing the wolf behind her into view. Telma gasped slightly.

"I think you'd best be asking the guards for help with this." Ilia looked at her in disbelief and shock.

"No. I need to save him, not kill him!" She seemed to understand what she meant now.

"Alright, well bring him in then." She held the door to her bar open, observing as she dragged the beast inside. "Lucky for you, all my customers left a while ago. Else whys, we might have been in a bit of trouble dear."

Ilia dropped Link down close to the fire to keep him warm. "So tell me, why exactly do you want to save this wolf? Is he your pet?" Ilia shook her head.

"No, he's a friend. He saved me when I was attacked by monsters." Telma stared at her, finding her story quite hard to believe.

"He probably didn't know he was saving you, you know" she pointed out to the young girl. "From the looks of it, this one hasn't eaten in days. Probably just attacked the monsters for a bite to eat." Ilia didn't know how to convince her otherwise. She couldn't tell her the truth; and she certainly couldn't tell her that the wolf was Link.

"He's saved me many times before. Either way, I'm alive because of him. Please help me save him" she begged.

Telma smiled. "Of course."

* * *

Ilia sat beside the fire, a cup of warm tea in her hands. She stared down at Link, who lay resting. He hadn't awoken since they arrived, and she was worried about him. Telma had helped her aid his wounds. His shoulder, front paws and chest were wrapped in bloodstained bandages. His breathing had started to return to normal. A plate with raw meat on it rested at his paws, just in case he was to wake up feeling hungry. Telma was still somewhat unsure about letting him stay, but trusted Ilia when she said he was not dangerous.

Ilia smiled, letting out a soft sigh of relief when she saw Links eyes open slowly. He gazed up at her. Even though he could no longer speak and she couldn't understand him, the look in his eyes was pure gratitude. His nose started to twitch as the smell of meat wafted under it. Licking his lips, he started to tear the meat apart, swallowing pieces whole. Ilia sighed again.

"Oh Link" she whispered.

"You say something hun?" she asked. Ilia jumped when she heard Telma's voice from behind her.

"No" she stammered. She hoped she hadn't heard her call him Link. She relaxed a little when she merely looked at him.

"So, you given him a name?" Telma inquired. Link looked up from his meat and stared at the two of them. Ilia gazed briefly at him, not knowing what to say. Link shook his head, as if his fur was wet.

"Um…" Ilia began, her voice trailing off in her own thoughts. "I was thinking of naming him after Link" she mumbled. Telma gave her an unimpressed look.

"Ilia, I know you must be missing young Link, but the only thing this wolf has in common with him, are his eyes." Link snarled slightly at her comment. Telma was a friend, but on occasions like this she could show very little respect. Ilia held out her hand to calm him. He sat up straight, obeying her.

"You sure know how to control him though, that's for sure" Telma went on, observing her actions with interest. She noticed Ilia looking uncomfortable. "Call me if you need anything." She said as she left the room, leaving the two alone together.

They stared at each other.

"You know she doesn't mean it" Ilia spoke softly. "Especially if she knew who you really were." Link dropped his head on his paws. He looked pretty miserable. Ilia got off her chair, crawling over to him. She placed her hand underneath his muzzle, laying his large head on her lap. He rubbed up against her, showing his affection. She stroked his forehead gently, scratching him behind the ears. Link tried not to enjoy it, but he'd be lying if he denied it. It was nice to have her to comfort him. Despite the danger she had put them both in, Link was glad she had followed him.

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**Sorry about the seriously late update. This was not how long I intended. **

**As much as I hate to admit it, I'm kind of stuck in a rut with this story. I've sort of lost where this is going, and if I can't get out of this writer's block trap that I'm in, I give up on this story all together. I don't want it to come to that but I thought I'd best just let you all know. **


End file.
